Bank of Texas in Houston has hired a Bank of America veteran to lead its Houston operations.

Esther George, president of the Kansas City Fed, highlighted the shortcomings of banking regulation, especially as applied to community banks, and said the "pendulum has swung too far" on consumer protection.

BB&T's smaller competitors are convinced the Winston-Salem bank is moving the decision-making on commercial loan applications to its headquarters. They say they've been able to steal customers from BB&T as borrowers are frustrated with the red tape. BB&T's president denies this and says it's as committed to community banking as always.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Seoul aimed at expanding the bank's business in South Korea.

The Circuit Court for Baltimore City has dismissed a class-action lawsuit brought against FedFirst Financial in Monessen, Pa., related to its agreement to sell.

Community bankers can get ahead of the competition by building strong and profitable relationships with their customers. They should start by keeping products simple and explanations forthright.

Wellesley Investment Partners in Massachusetts has named Louis Crosier president.

The Federal Reserve is tracking the competitive climate among community banks, including the dearth of new charter activity. Key officials also used opening remarks at the Fed's community banking conference to outline ways they are trying to improve communication with bankers.

Federal Savings Bank in Chicago has teamed up with West Suburban Bank in Lombard, Ill., to offer mortgage products across West Suburban's 37-branch network.

There were fewer institutions originating mortgages in 2013, while low- and moderate-income borrowers took a smaller share of industry volume, according to the recently released Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data.

It's fashionable to say that community banks need to bulk up to better absorb compliance costs and compete with larger banks, but not all bankers agree. At a panel discussion at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium Monday, three CEOs argued that small banks can thrive by remaining hyperfocused on the communities they serve, while continually finding ways to grow revenues and control expenses.

Rebeca Romero Rainey, the CEO of Centinel Bank of Taos, will use part of her speech at a Federal Reserve conference on small banks this week to discuss the need for regulatory relief and her belief that community bankers have a duty to persevere under difficult circumstances.

There is a good chance legislation that would provide regulatory relief to small banks and address concerns about which banks are dubbed systemically important could be wrapped in the same Senate bill next year, experts said at American Banker's 4th Annual Regulatory Symposium.

Susquehanna Bancshares in Lititz, Pa., has hired a president and chief executive for its bank.

Regulators are developing joint standards for cybersecurity, testing special exam procedures and helping banks assess their own readiness, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg said at American Banker's 4th Annual Regulatory Symposium. That's a good thing because community bankers said they need a lot of help.

The commitment by the two housing giants marks a win for upstart VantageScore Solutions in its quest to compete against industry leader Fair Isaac Corp. However, the outcome of the review is uncertain, and Fannie warned that the costs of adopting new credit scores might prove to be "substantial" for lenders and others.

In putting together the 2014 edition of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance, we decided to pose a few questions about gender to our honorees. One of those questions became a theme: "Does gender matter in banking?" You'll find some of the responses here, and we invite you to share your thoughts.

Debby Hopkins' team brings fresh ideas to Citigroup by thinking and acting like tech entrepreneurs. Her Citi Ventures unit is an outlier in that its top four executives are women.

Meet the winners of the 2014 Young Women's Leadership Award. These scholarships are awarded as part of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance program.

Broadway Financial in Los Angeles plans to raise nearly $10 million through a private placement.